Fastener for sliding doors.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

J. F. MUIRHBAD.

FASTENER FOR SLIDING DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1908.

ENT OR WI M ATTORNEY 8,

I VITNESSES- UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

JOHN F. M UIRHEAD, OF MOOSE JAW, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.

FASTENER FOR SLIDING DOORS.

Application filed February 24, 1908.

I attain my object by providing a keeper and a pivoted latch, one secured to the edge of the door and the other to the door frame. The latch is provided with a hook adapted to enter a hole formed inthe keeper, and

with a tail, which, when the door is closed, engages the top of a horizontal extension of the keeper and thus retains the hook in engagement. The pivot pin of the latch passes through a slot in the latch which latter may thus be lifted to release the hook simultaneously with the opening of the door but not otherwise, and as such simultaneous movement is impossible accidentally the door when locked is secure under the conditions of service.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved fastener in the position it occupies when the door is closed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the fastener with the latch in the position it assumes as the door is being closed.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The fastener comprises two main parts, the keeper A and the latch B. One of these parts is preferably connected with the door frame and the other with the door. In practice I prefer to secure the keeper to the door and the latch to the door frame.

The keeper comprises a plate C which is secured to the door frame by the bolts a, as shown, and the horizontal flange D which is preferably formed integral with the part A, and has a hole 1) formed therein for engagement by the latch, as hereinafter described.

A horizontal extension E is also formed on the keeper, preferably integral with the part D, and extending past the edge of the door, as shown.

The latch B is formed with a hook F, which is shaped to enter and engage the hole 6, as shown in Fig. 1. The latch is pivotally Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Serial No. 417,499.

connected with the door frame by means of a bolt G, which passes through a slot 6 formed in the latch. When the latch is in the locked position this slot is substantially vertical, as shown The bolt G has a collar 61 formed thereon which prevents it being drawn toofar through the slot so that the latch will move freely up and down on the bolt in the operation of latching and unlatching. The latch is also provided with a tail H, which is sufficiently heavy to overbalance the hook and to tend to cause the latch to assume a vertical position with the hook F uppermost and the tail H lowermost, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The operation of the device is as follows As the door is closed the horizontal extension E of the keeper engages the tail of the latch and gradually locks the latter, asshown in Fig. 2. As the latch is free to move on the pivot it is ultimately caused to assume the position shown in Fig. 1, the hook F passing through the hole 6. When the parts are in this osition it is quite clear-that no power applied to the door can cause the latch to lift and release itself from the keeper since the horizontal extension E holds up the tail of the latch and thus maintains the hook in engagement with the keeper. No jerking or shaking of a car to which the latch may be applied therefore can possibly cause the latch to release itself; nor, when the door is closed, can the fastener be released without at the same time sliding the door towards its 0 en position as, until the horizontal extension E is slid from beneath the tail H, the latch cannot rock to release itself from the keeper. But if the door be slid and the latch lifted at the same time the disengagement will be effected in a manner the exact reverse of the manner in which the engagement was effected, so that Fig. 2 truthfully represents both the engagement and disengagement of the fastener.

Various changes might be made in the details of the fastener without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is, for instance, immaterial whether the hook be on the latch and the hole in the keeper or vice versa. Nor is it essential that the bolt G passing through the slot 0 be employed as a pivot as any other arrangement which would provide a pivot for the latch while permitting of its being lifted in the manner described would answer the purpose of my invention.

The sha e of the horizontal extensionE and the tai H might also be varied considerably the point to be observed being that the extension must effectively hold up the tail when the door is in its closed position, and must only permit of the hook lifting when manual power is supplied for that purpose as the door is slid towards the open position.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a fastener for sliding doors the combination of a keeper having a vertical opening therein; a horizontal extension formed on the keeper; a pivoted latch having a hook formed thereon adapted to enter and engage the hole in the keeper; and a tail formed on the latch adapted to engage the upper side of the horizontal extension when the door is closed, a slot being formed in the latch to enable the latter to be lifted on its pivot as the door is slid open.

2. In a fastener for sliding doors the combination of a keeper having a vertical opening therein; a horizontal extension formed on the keeper; a pivoted latch having a hook formed thereon adapted to enter and engage the hole in the keeper; and a tail formed on the latch shaped to overbalance the hook and adapted to engage the upper side of the horizontal extension when the door is closed a slot being formed in the latch to enable the latter to be lifted on its pivot as the door is slid 0 en.

3. n a fastener for sliding doors the combination of a keeper and a pivoted latch adapted to engage one another; an extension on t 1e keeper; a tail on the latch adapted to engage the said extension when the door is closed to prevent an unlocking movement of the latch; and means whereby the latch is free to be raised simultaneously with an opening movement of the door.

4. In a fastener for sliding doors the com bination of a keeper having a vertical opening therein; an extension formed on the keeper; a pivoted latch having a hook formed thereon adapted to enter and engage the hole in the keeper; a tail on the latch shaped to overbalance the hook and adapted to engage the said extension when the door is closed to prevent an unlocking movement of the latch; and means whereby the latch is free to be raised simultaneously with an opening movement of the door'.

5. In a fastener for sliding doors the combination of a keeper and a pivoted latch adapted to engage one another; a horizontal extension on the keeper; a tail on the latch ada )ted to en a e the u )er side of said exl e o P} tension when the door is c osed to prevent an unlocking movement of the latch; and means whereby the latch 18 free to be raised simulta neously with an opening movement of the door.

Moose Jaw, Sask, 30th January, 1908.

JOHN F. MUIRHEAD. Signed in the presence of W. M. MAOINTYRE, A. J. GABB'. 

